The invention relates to an attachment, for a vacuum cleaner or a vacuum-cleaning pipe, for collecting vacuumed liquid. The attachment is configured as a closed container with a suction connection which leads to a nozzle and with a vacuum connection for a hose leading to the vacuum cleaner or the vacuum-cleaning pipe. A separation chamber is provided in the container and connected to the suction connection for the separation of the vacuumed liquid and collection in a collection chamber, with a float-controlled valve located between the collection chamber and the vacuum connection.
The increased use of carpets as floor covering has led to a rising need for the cleaning of this type of covering. Where dry dust is involved, the hitherto-used means is vacuum cleaning, which in most cases is also adequate for normal cleaning.
However, where the spillage of liquids occurs, for example drinks and the like, use must be made of other methods. This will mainly involve the vacuuming of the liquid and possible subsequent spot-cleaning by means of special fluids.
Furthermore, it is known to use specially-developed carpet-cleaning machines, which are normally used by professional cleaning personnel, and which therefore can seldom be considered for use in private homes.
Here it is necessary to use cleaning agents in fluid or foam form, which dissolve the stain and are thereafter removed by drying.
However, this form of spot-cleaning is not particularly effective, in that the amount of fluid is far too small, and thus the dissolving ability is vary limited. Since vacuum cleaning must not involve the vacuuming of air which contains liquid, there is consequently no help to be found in the use of a vacuum cleaner.
The removal of stains thus becomes troublesome, in that this must comprise a softening by means of the cleaning agent and a subsequent washing out of the cleaning agent from the carpet. This requires not only a considerable amount of liquid, but also a correspondingly large amount of work in the absorption of the liquid by means of absorption elements of material or paper. During this work, the liquid is spread in all directions, and a possible blotch formation could appear which would be of a relatively large extent.
To remedy these inconveniences, various attachments have been developed for vacuum cleaners, which can herewith vacuum up the liquid which exists on the carpet.
From the description of U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,769 there is known an attachment for the vacuuming and the separation of liquid. The attachment can be connected to a vacuum cleaner suction hose. In the suction of liquid, only to a certain degree will the liquid be separated from the air and collected in a collection container when a finger-operated valve opens to the vacuum through the attachment. Consequently, the separation of liquid is not particularly effective, and moreover there is a risk of the vacuuming in liquid when the level of the liquid in the collection container becomes too high.
This gives rise to the risk of damage to the vacuum cleaner motor because of the moisture content of the air. Furthermore, the load on the motor is very high in those cases where the valve is closed to the vacuum due to the flow of air being cut off.
From the description in EPO no. 0,188,250 there is known an attachment with a built-in float-controlled valve which serves to block the suction through the attachment when the liquid level gets too high.
This attachment is provided with a porous filter element through which the moist air is led, and in which the liquid separation takes place. However, this method of separation is not particularly expedient, the reason being that it results in a considerable reduction of the suction power, in that the formation of droplets will completely or partly block the passage of the air through the filter. Similarly, the airways become relatively short, whereby there is a risk of a liquid content in the air which is harmful for the vacuum cleaner motor. Thus, the equipment would involve a highly reduced suction effect and a low liquid separation.
Both of these types of attachments also suffer the disadvantage that they do not cut off the vacuum in the event of the surface of the liquid reaching the vacuum connection, which can happen if the container is tipped over or the attachment is tilted too much during its use.